Grown-Up Pink Lemonade

Happy Cocktail Fridays, friends; thanks for coming back to visit! Whenever people ask me what they need to stock their bar, I always tell them to have a few good base spirits (rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey) and a few juices and sweeteners. Of the sweeteners, I always tell them to have a Sweet and Sour mix on hand. Sweet and Sour mix used to be called “bar” mix and those who tended bar back in the good old days can tell you how they came into work early to take inventory, slice and juice fruit and make bar mix. Today, they make bar mix from powders or buy it pre-mixed (sometimes stored in bags). GROSS! Where’s the romance in powdered or bagged bar essentials? I digress.

Well, Sweet and Sour (bar) mix to so easy to make and tastes SO, SO, SO much better than the mass produced, pre-mixed, artificial stuff. Having Sweet and Sour mix allows you to make any type of “sour” style cocktail and make it better than any restaurant you frequent.

This week’s cocktail is simple but perfectly refreshing after a tough week (and it’s been tough) or on a hot day or evening (and it’s so freaking hot). Tina and I love lemony, limey drinks if you couldn’t tell by our other posts and pink lemonade puts smiles on our faces and invites us to sip them in the sun.

On a personal note, THANK YOU all for your thoughts and prayers and comforting words. They are felt and are so uplifting for Tina and me. I have an amazingly, strong and beautiful wife and I’m so proud of her and her strength. I’m so thankful for our family and friends and especially thankful for the wonderful people within this blog community who have helped pick us up. It makes holding up light filters and eating cold food (for that perfect shot) all worth it.

As the old adage, goes: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”

Well, I have revised it slightly. The Wiley adage goes like this:

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade; make it pink, put some vodka in it, and share it with your friends!”

Grown-Up Pink Lemonade

Ingredients:

Directions:

For the Sweet and Sour (Bar) Mix:
In a medium saucepan, heat water until nearly boiling and combine sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a 32 oz air tight container, combine the simple syrup and lemon and lime juices and store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 months. You can extend the life of your sweet and sour mix for much longer by adding about 2 oz. of vodka.

For the Pink Lemonade:
In a cocktail shaker or glass, combine Sour and Sour mix, vodka and grenadine and shake or stir well. Pour drink over ice and top with club soda, lightly stirring club soda through the drink